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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – If Jordan Spieth thinks a winless sequence that is approaching two years seems like an eternity, he may want to check with his big winner Jim Furyk.
Both have a chance to end the drought in Colonial – if they can overtake the leader of the third round, Kevin Na.
Na was content with a goal of less than 69 per day after making a fall at Colonial, taking a two-shot lead at 9 under Saturday over a group including local favorite, Spieth and Furyk, the champion of the US Open in 2003 who did not win. in four years.
"I do not really look as if the glass was half empty, the hourglass was almost short of sand," said 49-year-old Furyk, who has just won one of 17 victories on the circuit of the PGA. years old but was second in the players' championship in March. "This year has been a bit like a new life."
Furyk, without a win since 2015 at Hilton Head, equaled Spieth's 68, whose last victory was his third major title at the British Open. Joining them at 7 was C.T. Pan, who was tied with Na before bogeys on the last two holes. Pan is satisfied with a 68.
The leader of the first round, Tony Finau (71), fell in the group to 7 under a bogey on 18 after hitting his pilot in the water. Defending champion Justin Rose, the top-ranked player in third place, shot his second 74th in three rounds and lost 5 times.
Na recovered from a double boguey in the 11th inning, which cost him his head, stabilizing on the last seven holes. His 62 in the second round was his third at least as low on a six-lap lap in Colonial.
After hitting the driver in a bunker at 11 am, Na's second shot hit the lip of the bunker as he turned frustrated because a fan's cell phone rang during his swing. Caddy Kenny Harms criticized the woman and Na said that he was upset until he saw the horrified look on his face.
"He was shouting at her and he's perfectly entitled to do it," Na said. "I felt bad for the lady, so I said," Go Kenny, forget it.
The only problem was that Na could not shake him. His third shot landed in a bunker by the green and the fourth flew over the green. One bullet still did not reach the green, before another token came out.
Na made the short putt for a 7 before making almost a token for a birdie after 12 more shots on goal. His third and last birdie was an 18-footer on the 13 par-3.
"Sometimes it takes a bit of time to get together after an event of this kind and we make a double bug," said Na, who finished fourth at Colonial last year after leveling the course record with a final 61. "I think I played pretty solid the rest of the way."
The Birdies among the leaders were rather rare, most playing in windy conditions that made the week round difficult the afternoon rounds on the comfortable course made famous by Ben Hogan.
Second-round leader Jonas Blixt did not have one, starting with a bogey on the first easy run before being three out of 74. He has four shots.
The best rounds were won by players whose earlier start time Mackenzie Hughes shot 65 to join Spieth, Furyk and company. Charley Hoffman had the best score of the day under 63 and was tied at under 6 with Austin Cook, who shot 65.
Spieth had his three birdies in the lead of the first nine, barely missing one in the back when his long chip in the 16th par-3 was played. The 2016 Colonial Champion, finalist before and after this title, had his only boguey at 17, one of 10 fairways that he missed in 14 tries.
"I'd like to have more greens in the rules, and for that, I probably have to play in more fairways," said Spieth, finishing third in a tie at the PGA Championship for his first top -20 end of season. "It's just hitting the ball."
Pan, one month before his first PGA Tour win at Hilton Head, recorded four birdies in the first 10 holes and kept his head alone after Na's double boguey. The native of Taiwan avoided a double by doing a test on 17 before missing a short attempt at 18.
"I'm sure the experience of RBC (Heritage) has helped me get here," said Pan, who passed third-round leader Dustin Johnson for the win. "I feel more comfortable on Sunday, it's safe, I know what I have to do to become the leader."
Spieth and Furyk know this feeling. It's been just a moment.
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